opensource.md

Homework

On the last day of class (Jan 12) Seamus Kraft, Director of the OpenGov Foundation and an advocate for open source technology and transparancy in congress, will be skyping in from Washington DC. Seamus was one of the voices that helped to convince congress to adopt open source technology. You will be debating Seamus on why congress should be adopting open source software. Seamus will be playing the role of a member of congress (or a congressional staffer) who is skeptical of open source software, bringing up the many arguments that he has encountered as to why open source ought not be allowed. Depending on how we feel we can make it a more informal discussion, however I would still like for you to be well read on the topic you chose going into this discussion.

Assignment

Spend at least two hours reading selections from the reading list. Some of the selections are required, others are optional. Required selections are marked as such. This should not be the end of your reading, this list is just a place to begin. Once you've done some general reading, you will select a topic area from the topics below, and focus your remaining time drilling into one particular topic.

Topic Assignment

Please sign yourself up for one of the following groups in this google doc: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1y_nJtNseCnFV01W2YQ34vYafYOFQkwb3wg9V6McF-zM/edit?usp=sharing

As you're reading, please contribute to the slack channel corresponding to the topic you signed up for:

1. Business Case & Cost (#opensource-cost) - discuss the cost advantages of open source software for a congressional office
2. Ethics (#opensource-ethics) - discuss the ethics-related issues of adopting open source software for a congressional office
3. Maintainance (#opensource-maintain) - discuss the advantages for maintaining software that is open source
4. Security (#opensource-security) - discuss the security implications of open source software

Artifacts

1. Discussion on Slack - Lets try to have a discussion on Slack about the topic area you've selected. For this assignment, if Slack turns into just a list of comments rather than a discussion, that's fine too. Before the debate/discussion, you and the other people who have selected that subject area can review the points that everyone made in the slack channel and pick the most interesting or convincing ones to talk to Seamus about.

Reading List

What is open source?

• Wikipedias
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_model
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_(disambiguation)
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_software_development#Model
• Open Source Intro / Philosophy
  • http://www.dreamsongs.com/IHE/IHE-27.html
  • (required) https://opensource.org/osd
• Open vs Free
  • (recommended) https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.en.html
  • https://www.ubuntu.com/about/about-ubuntu/our-philosophy
• DOD
  • (required)http://dodcio.defense.gov/Open-Source-Software-FAQ/#Defining_Open_Source_Software_.28OSS.29
  • https://hackerone.com/resources/hack-the-pentagon
• Whitehouse
  • (required)https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/03/09/leveraging-american-ingenuity-through-reusable-and-open-source-software
  • https://sourcecode.cio.gov/
  • https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/memoranda/2016/m-16-12_1.pdf
• HHS
  • https://www.hhs.gov/open/2016-plan/open-source-software.html
• 18F
  • https://18f.gsa.gov/2015/01/16/open-source-for-good-government/
  • https://github.com/18F/open-source-policy/blob/master/policy.md
  • (required)https://18f.gsa.gov/2015/10/13/open-source-micropurchasing/
• House
  • http://opengovfoundation.org/open-source-software-now-permitted-in-the-u-s-house-of-representatives/
  • https://www.wired.com/2016/08/open-source-won-now/
• USDS
  • https://playbook.cio.gov/#introduction
  • https://medium.com/the-u-s-digital-service/an-improbable-public-interest-start-up-6f9a54712411#.14y9p9fqd
• Writings of Aaron Swartz
  • http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/usefultransparency
  • http://crookedtimber.org/2012/07/03/a-database-of-folly/
  • (recommended) Chapter 7 http://www.morganclaypool.com/doi/pdfplus/10.2200/S00481ED1V01Y201302WBE005
• Ethics
  • Senate ethics code of conduct summary - ("gifts" page)
  • House Ethics - Gifts
  • White House Open Source Policy
  • Open Source Software in House Press Release
  • https://blog.jcoglan.com/2013/11/15/why-github-is-not-your-cv/
• Technology-Spending in Congress
  • http://opengovfoundation.org/counting-up-congressional-technology-spending-for-2014-the-u-s-senate/
  • http://opengovfoundation.org/counting-up-congressional-technology-spending-for-2014-the-u-s-house/
  • https://opengovfoundation.org/why-congressional-technology-spending-matters-and-how-to-improve-the-situation/

non-us

• https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/technology/making-source-code-open-and-reusable
• https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/service-standard/make-all-new-source-code-open
• https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/technology/working-with-open-standards
• http://meity.gov.in/content/free-and-open-source-software
• https://timreview.ca/article/130
• https://www.wired.com/2013/04/openstack-india/

Github and Hiring

• https://blog.jcoglan.com/2013/11/15/why-github-is-not-your-cv/